The Emotions of Home Remodeling
With 25 years of home remodeling under our belt, we’ve transformed all kinds of spaces and met all kinds of people. As a Design Build company, we get to know our clients quite well throughout the remodel process. From the first consultation, it’s an honor to be welcomed into someone’s home, and even more so to be trusted with their remodel project. The photos of loved ones on the walls, the dogs barking and wagging their tails at the sight new guests, the vibrant signs of life and the unique stories under every roof. This job is full of so many beautiful moments, but like many of life’s most important moments and decisions, a home remodel can come with intense feelings. This month, we’re sharing the most common situations that lead to high emotions during a remodel.
SCOPE CREEP
It’s super easy to get swept away by the thrill of the creative phase of your home remodel. Believe us, we get it, the design phase is so exciting! The possibilities are endless and once you start designing your dream kitchen it can be hard not to fall into the late-night internet browsing and Pinterest inspo traps that make you question your paint, tile, appliance, and fixture choices. No matter how valiant an effort we make to stay on track and remind clients to stay within their means (that’s what we’re here for), time and time again we see the scope creep phenomenon of clients adding higher priced selections here and more amenities there. Before you know it the project’s scope of work has nearly doubled, but the increase in cost seems to come as a shock to many clients.
HOUSEHOLD DYNAMICS
Attitudes around work life balance, raising families, and household gender roles continue to evolve and change. Whatever your household dynamic looks like, having partners on the same page about a home remodel is a must. When only one person in a partnership is making design decisions and attending meetings about budget and scope of work, it’s a major indicator that things might run amuck. It’s not uncommon for clients to tell us their partner is too busy with work or uninterested in being involved in the project’s decision making, but once the project comes fruition the uninvolved partner suddenly realizes they’re unhappy about decisions that were made and we’re back to square one after months of planning.
PANIC AT SIGNING
It’s no surprise that we often see the strongest emotions from clients when it’s time to sign the dotted line. The scope of work has been established, the designs and budget have been mulled over and decided on, but once it’s time to make it official by writing a check and moving into the construction phase, we sometimes see homeowners suddenly become fearful and express concerns that they never shared with us during the months of planning and getting to know each other. Whether it’s remodeling or buying a home, paying for college, planning a wedding, or anything else that requires big decisions and a significant amount of money, being nervous is understandable even if you’re excited about the end result. It’s so important for everyone involved to communicate and be honest to help avoid the panic and uneasiness that can turn things sour.
We can share countless beautiful photos of our work and testimonies from past clients, but our hope is that by also being honest about tough topics, we can better empower homeowners and consumers when it comes to making these sometimes-difficult decisions. Home remodeling is our passion and it’s incredibly rewarding. The creativity and artistry in the design phase and material selections, the craftsmanship and skill it takes to bring the designs to life, and the final moments of handing off dream-come-true projects to clients who will enjoy these spaces for years to come is simply what we love to do. No good thing comes without some challenges along the way, but we’re here for the journey and refuse to cut corners on something as important as your home. We’ll be right by your side to help you reach your home remodel dreams if you’ll let us.
